Many of us know the saying “Everything is bigger and better in Texas,” and Molly Ivins is no exception. At over 6 feet tall, she is a beer drinking and boot wearing political journalist, and writer/director Janice Engel has brought her story to light in “Raise Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins”.
Known for saying “ Texas is the national laboratory of bad gub’ment”, she knew the Bill of Rights and used the power of the pen to help protect the people. Even as a liberal, both sides of the aisle had respect for Molly and what she wrote, and with over four hundred newspapers publishing her articles at the top of her game, she was nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prizes and published eleven books including “Shrub: The Short But Happy Political Life of George W. Bush”.
This documentary isn’t just the story about a person in politics: it is also her story of helping make the way for other women in a male-dominated world. She did not follow cultural norms for the time like feeling any pressure to get married or put having a family in front of having a career, and seeing this story had me constantly thanking her for her journey that I can see the influence on in my own life today.
With a mixture of interviews with family and friends, photos, home movies, and taped speeches, there is a genuine a feel for whom she really was, seen through the reaction of the crowd I was with as they hooted, applauded, and laughed to Molly’s way of putting the truth out there. So, no matter what side of the aisle you sit on (even if it is in the middle), this film tells its story in a way that can be enjoyed by everyone. Make sure to take the time to see “Raise Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins” at a theater near you!